1. Field
The present application relates to headwear. More specifically, the present application is directed to a form-fitting protective headwear and a method of manufacturing the form-fitting protective headwear.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
Protective headwear can include hardhats, bumphats, helmets, headgear and other types of protective headwear, which provide a protective function (e.g., various levels of protection) against head injuries resulting from various impacts to the head associated with accidents and/or intentional acts of others. Protective headwear can be used for various activities ranging from military/security applications, to industrial applications, to sports activities, through to leisure activities. The different applications and activities can require different levels of protection and accordingly different headwear.
In many circumstances, head injuries can be prevented by using protective headwear. While job-related, sports-related, security-related as well as leisure-related head injuries can be very serious and even life threatening, some people (e.g., especially young people) may prefer not wear headwear for various reasons, including aesthetics (e.g., user's look and feel), comfort (e.g., user feels uncomfortable wearing headwear), application/activity-specific fit (e.g., headwear for use in one application/activity does not accord well with use for another application/activity), and expense (e.g., headwear for different activities is too expensive). Other reasons may exist, such as experience level (e.g., user feels too experienced to wear headwear).
The foregoing and other reasons or factors can cause some people to go without protective headwear and increase the potential for serious head injuries. Accordingly, protective headwear should aim to not only to provide a protective function but should also aim to provide an inexpensive, yet aesthetic, comfortable and secure fit such that users would desire to wear the protective headwear. While providing the protective function, existing protective headwear frequently misses the mark and does not provide an aesthetic, comfortable and application-specific fit that is inexpensive, causing people to go without protective headwear and increasing the potential for serious head injuries.
Fit and positioning of headwear are essential to effectiveness at reducing head injury. In this regard, stretchable headwear (e.g., ski hats) offers the form-factor and the convenience of a precise fit and positioning for various head sizes. Stretchable headwear can be made of a various fabrics, including manmade/synthetic materials, natural materials, or blended combinations thereof. Accordingly, stretchable headwear can provide an inexpensive form-factor and esthetic quality, which can result in increased desirability. Desirability cannot be underestimated in people's desire or lack thereof for wearing protective headwear.
However, the method of placing protective materials (protective function) into stretchable headwear while maintaining its aesthetic quality have been problematic. On the one hand, hard layered plastics provide great protection but are too bulky and thus ruin the aesthetics, decreasing desirability and increasing the potential for serious head injuries. On the other hand, simple padding provides great esthetics but does not provide sufficient protection, decreasing the protective function and increasing the potential for serious head injuries. Furthermore, the manufacture of the stretchable headwear that incorporates sufficient protective function has met with challenges.
It is therefore desirable to provide a combination of sufficient protective function and aesthetics such that people will more readily wear protective headwear during their engagement in different activities and reduce the potential for serious injuries.